16072026-CT-01.qxd 7/16/2026 12:16 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune MOHALI CIVIC BODY PROPOSES STEEP HIKE IN NOC CHARGES ARREST ILLEGAL: HC ORDERS RELEASE OF ACCUSED GURU RANDHAWA ENTERS HIS HIP-HOP ERA WITH SIX The limit certificate fee for residential category is likely to be increased from ~200 to ~500. P2 There is no evidence that grounds of arrest were communicated in writing to accused’s mother. P3 Guru Randhawa has released a new single, SIX, which is now streaming on various platforms. P4 » » AIR QUALITY INDEX CHANDIGARH 68 PANCHKULA 49 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD WHAT’S ON APNI MANDI Chandigarh: Sectors 34, 56 and Ram Darbar Mohali: Sec 88 and Phase 8 Please send information about events in Tricity at: whatson@tribunemail.com INBRIEF MAN ARRESTED WITH HEROIN Chandigarh: The police arrested Ravinder Singh, a resident of Kajheri, and recovered 11 grams of heroin from his possession. A case under Section 21 of the NDPS Act has been registered at the Sector 36 police station. TNS Tribune News Service Chandigarh, July 15 The Labour Department of the Chandigarh Administration has issued the draft Chandigarh Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Rules, 2026, aimed at modernising industrial safety standards, streamlining registration procedures and strengthening health and welfare measures for workers. The Administration has invited objections and suggestions from the public within 45 days of the notification. Under the draft rules, all establishments will be required to register online through the Labour Department’s designated portal using Form I. Registration fees have been linked to the size of the workforce, ranging from Rs 1,000 for establishments employing up to 20 workers to Rs 50,000 for those with more than 5,000 employees. If the registering officer fails to issue a registration certificate within seven working days, the registration will be deemed to have been granted and the certificate will be auto-generated. The draft also mandates free annual medical examinations for all workers above the age of 40. Employees engaged in hazardous processes or dangerous Panchkula cop held for snatching chain Tribune News Service Panchkula, July 15 A Special Police Officer (SPO) of the Haryana Police was arrested for allegedly snatching a gold chain from a young woman in Sector 5 on Monday evening after an alert woman motorist intercepted him while he was attempting to flee. The accused, identified as Sanjeev Kumar, is posted at the Sector 16 police post. A native of Naraingarh in Ambala district, he was caught after a woman witnessed the snatching and rammed her car into his motorcycle, causing him to fall. Her husband overpow- ered the suspect. According to eyewitnesses, the victim, a resident of Sector 2, was returning home after shopping. The video of the incident has gone viral on social media. In the viral video, the alert citizen claims, “Maine utarte hi pakad liya isko” before showing the masked registration plate of the accused’s bike. The gold chain was recovered from the spot. A case of snatching has been registered and the police are investigating whether the accused was involved in similar incidents or had links with any organised criminal network. Draft seeks to strengthen worker welfare, night shift safety, heat stress management KEY POINTS OF THE DRAFT ■ Objections and suggestions to be filed within 45 days of the notification ■ All establishments will be required to register online through the Labour Department’s portal ■ Draft mandates free annual medical examinations for all workers above the age of 40 ■ Overtime beyond eight hours a day will attract wages at twice the ordinary rate ■ Women to work night shifts (7 pm to 6 am) only with their explicit consent operations will undergo medical check-ups twice a year. Employers will also be required to issue formal appointment letters to all workers. Existing employees without appointment letters must receive them within three months of the rules coming into force. Working hours and overtime The proposed rules retain the 48hour workweek, with a maximum of 12 working hours a day, including rest intervals. Workers must be provided a minimum of 30-minute break after every five hours of work. Overtime beyond eight hours a day or 48 hours a week will attract wages at twice the ordinary rate. Security for women in night shifts To enhance the safety of women employees, the draft permits women to work night shifts (7 pm to 6 am) only with their explicit consent. Employers must provide safe transport to and from their residences, adequate lighting and CCTV surveillance in common areas and passages. The draft also prohibits the employment of pregnant or lactating women in hazardous operations such as chemical works or lead processing. Recognising the growing impact of extreme heat, the Administration has proposed dedicated heat stress management measures. Factories with furnaces and establishments involving outdoor work will be required to monitor the wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) every month. If prescribed safety limits are exceeded, employers must provide cooling arrangements, glucose-based hydration and additional rest breaks. Workers exposed to high-heat conditions are also recommended to undergo specialised annual medical examinations, including renal ultrasounds to monitor kidney health. Benefits for migrant, contract workers The draft further strengthens safeguards for inter-state migrant and contract workers. Inter-state migrant workers completing 180 days of service will be entitled to a journey allowance covering train or bus fare to their home state once every 12 months. Contract workers performing the same duties as regular employees will be entitled to equal wages and comparable service conditions. MAX 37°C | MIN 28°C YESTERDAY MAX 36.7°C | MIN 26.3°C SUNRISE FRIDAY 5:32 AM /THETRIBUNECHD UT Admn proposes safety, health rules at workplace PARTLY CLOUDY SUNSET THURSDAY 7:25 PM » THURSDAY | 16 JULY 2026 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE 66,146 voters’ names likely to be deleted from draft rolls Due process will be followed before any deletion: CEO Tribune News Service Chandigarh, July 15 The names of 66,146 electors whose enumeration forms remained uncollected during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR)-2026 will not appear in the draft electoral rolls to be published on July 21, the UT Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Prerna Puri, said on Wednesday. Addressing mediapersons, Puri said the enumeration phase was conducted from June 15 to July 14 under the directions of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to verify and update the electoral rolls through comprehensive field verification and public participation. A total of 5,16,427 registered electors were covered during the exercise. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) distributed Enumeration Forms to all registered voters across the Union Territory, achieving 100 per cent distribution. Of these, 4,50,246 forms (87.19 per cent) were collected and digitised, while 66,146 forms (12.81 per cent) remained uncollected despite repeated visits by BLOs. More than 1,780 Booth Level Agents (BLAs) participated in the exercise. As part of the polling station rationalisation exercise, the number of polling stations in Chandigarh has been reduced from 614 to 575 to Braving heat Chandigarh Chief Electoral Officer Prerna Puri addresses mediapersons on Wednesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: VICKY improve accessibility and administrative efficiency. Puri said one of the key objectives of SIR was to link existing electors with the 2002 Special Intensive Revision electoral rolls. Of the 4,50,246 collected forms, 1,67,397 electors were self-mapped, 2,13,398 progenymapped through their parents, while 69,451 submitted forms without mapping details. Overall, 3,80,795 electors were successfully linked with the previous SIR electoral rolls through self or progeny mapping. Explaining the status of the 66,146 uncollected forms, she said field verification by BLOs found that 43,724 electors had permanently shifted, 12,568 were absent, 3,729 fell under other categories, 3,535 were deceased and 2,590 were duplicate entries. She clarified that, based on this verification, the names of these electors would not appear in the draft electoral roll to be published on July 21. More than 1,000 NSS volunteers, Electoral Literacy Clubs (ELCs) and Voter Awareness Forums (VAFs) assisted in the campaign. Citizens were also able to seek assistance through the Voter Helpline 1950. The CEO said the draft electoral roll would be published on July 21 and made available on the CEO Chandigarh website and the ECINET platform. During the notice phase from July 21 to September 18, around 69,451 electors who submitted enumeration Continued on page 2 Autos in P’kula to get unique ID stickers Gaurav Kanthwal Tribune News Service People wait at a bus stop amid hot and humid conditions in Zirakpur on Wednesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: RAVI KUMAR Panchkula, July 15 To make public transport safer, more transparent and better organised, the police have launched a special verification drive for all auto-rickshaws and e-rickshaws operating in the district. Under the campaign, every verified vehicle will be issued a unique departmental identification sticker. The initiative is aimed at facilitating the quick identification of vehicles and drivers in the event of a crime, and strengthen traffic management. The ACP (Traffic), Surender Singh, has been appointed the nodal officer to supervise the campaign. All auto-rickshaws and e-rickshaws in the district will be verified in phases. After Verification drive launched to enhance passenger safety successful verification, each vehicle will receive a unique identification sticker issued by the department. The police will obtain records of all registered vehicles and conduct a detailed verification to ensure compliance with prescribed rules and standards. Each verified vehicle will have stickers carrying the vehicle registration number, driver’s identification code, designated route or zone and a unique departmental serial number. The sticker will be displayed prominently on both the front and rear of the vehicle. UT gears up for PM Modi’s visit; dry run to test preparedness today Deputy Commissioner reviews security, traffic and protocol arrangements across city Tribune News Service TRAFFIC CURBS NEAR PEC TOMORROW A welcome banner put up outside the Haryana Chief Minister's office in Chandigarh ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit on July 17. TRIBUNE PHOTO: PARDEEP TEWARI Chandigarh, July 15 The UT Administration has stepped up preparations for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Chandigarh on July 17, during which he is scheduled to inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of infrastructure and healthcare projects worth Rs 6,614.49 crore. Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav on Wednesday reviewed and finalised arrangements with senior officers. The DC reviewed preparations related to security, protocol, traffic management, venue management, parking, public convenience, emergency services and inter-departmental coordina- c m y b ■ The Chandigarh Police have announced traffic restrictions ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the city on July 17. According to the advisory, traffic will remain diverted or restricted from the Chandigarh-Nayagaon barrier to the Punjab Engineering College (PEC) light point and up to the Sector 2-3-10-11 roundabout till 3 pm. tion. He directed all departments to complete their assigned responsibilities on time and ensure seamless coordination for the smooth conduct of the programme. Emphasising public convenience, Yadav instructed officials to make adequate arrangements for drinking ■ The police said traffic movement could also be diverted or restricted on other road stretches. ■ Commuters have been urged to follow the official social media accounts of the Chandigarh Traffic Police for real-time traffic updates. Guests, invitees and official staff have been requested to park their vehicles only at designated parking areas. water, parking, toilets and medical assistance at the venue. He also directed that contingency measures be put in place to prevent waterlogging and ensure proper drainage and safe pedestrian movement in the event of rain. He further instructed officers to make comprehensive arrangements at the green room, helipad and other designated protocol areas. Uninterrupted power supply, public address systems and other essential services, he said, must remain fully functional throughout the programme. Venue in-charges, Executive Magistrates and Sector incharges have been assigned specific responsibilities at Punjab Engineering College (PEC), the venue of the event, as well as along the VVIP movement route. They will oversee stage management, seating, protocol, parking, crowd management and law and order. The DC said a comprehensive dry run would be conducted on July 16 to assess the preparedness of all departments and ensure effective coordination among the agencies involved. He directed all officers to remain present during the exercise, rectify any shortcomings immediately and ensure foolproof arrangements ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit. Senior officers from the Chandigarh Administration, Chandigarh Police, Engineering Department, Transport Department, Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh Housing Board and other departments attended the meeting. The DC askedtheofficialstoremainvigilant and work in close coordination. During the visit, the Prime Minister will inaugurate several key projects, including the Mother and Child Centre (Rs 505 crore) and the Neurosciences Centre (Rs 440 crore) at the PGIMER.